Peach Cake With The Best-Ever Caramel Buttercream
The peach harvest was incredible this year, and I couldn’t resist baking a peach cake before summer ended. I love everything peach—fresh, baked, even frozen. I froze most of the peaches I bought so I wouldn’t eat the entire box myself.
I found a wonderful peach cake that’s easy and moist. It starts with a yellow cake mix, plus extra eggs, oil, gelatin, and peaches. The result is a rich, tender cake that delivers big peach flavor. You can use fresh or frozen peaches; both work well.
One hiccup: peach gelatin can be hard to find. I searched and even grabbed the wrong box in a hurry. As it turned out, that mistake led to a delightful discovery—an orange-peach version I now call Fuzzy Navel Cake. The peach-and-orange flavor is a fantastic combination, so if you ever pick up orange gelatin by accident, embrace the happy surprise.
If you do find peach gelatin, great. If not, orange gelatin makes a delicious variation. Just remember your reading glasses at the store!
Instructions For Making Peach Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, dry gelatin, eggs, and oil. Beat until well blended. To reduce splatter, put the mixing bowl in the sink while using an electric mixer—cleanup will be easier.
Tip: use the empty cake mix box to hold used egg shells and empty gelatin boxes while you assemble ingredients, then toss everything together for quick cleanup.
Chop about one pound of fresh or frozen peaches into bite-size pieces, then fold them gently into the batter with a wooden spoon or a Danish whisk.
Pour the batter into a greased 9″ x 13″ pan. If using a disposable pan, set it on a sturdy sheet pan before moving it to prevent spills. Bake 40–45 minutes at 350°F. The cake will be nicely browned and may pull away slightly from the pan. Test with a toothpick: it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. You can prepare the caramel buttercream while the cake bakes—the caramel needs time to cool before you beat in the powdered sugar.
Another kitchen tip: keep boxed cake mixes on hand and label them with the type and expiration date using a marker. First-in, first-out (FIFO) will help you avoid surprises when you need a cake on short notice.
How To Make The Caramel Buttercream Frosting
This frosting is a two-step caramel buttercream that transforms the cake. It starts like making caramel sauce and finishes as a rich, spreadable buttercream.
Ingredients for the frosting: 1 cup (two sticks) real butter, cut into pats; 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup heavy cream; a pinch of salt; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 4–5 cups powdered sugar.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, cream, and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil. Once it boils, stir constantly for one to two minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
When the caramel has cooled enough to handle, beat in powdered sugar with a hand mixer until you reach a spreadable consistency. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a little cream, a tablespoon at a time, until it loosens. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Pour the frosting onto the cooled cake and spread it evenly. Let the frosting set slightly before slicing—the caramel buttercream will firm up as it cools.
This cake is rich and sweet, so consider cutting smaller slices. Whether you follow the recipe exactly or try the peach-and-orange Fuzzy Navel variation, it’s delicious either way.
Sometimes a cake is perfect for a celebration, a comfort moment, or a friendly gathering. Below are the recipe details summarized for quick reference.
Peach Cake
A moist, flavorful peach cake made from a yellow cake mix, gelatin, and fresh or frozen peaches.
10 minutes
40 minutes
50 minutes
Ingredients
- One yellow cake mix, dry
- Two 3-ounce boxes of peach (or orange) gelatin, dry
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- One pound fresh or frozen peaches, cut into bite-size pieces (if using frozen, do not thaw)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Beat cake mix, dry gelatin, eggs, and oil in a mixing bowl until combined.
- Fold in the chopped peaches.
- Pour batter into a greased 9″ x 13″ pan.
- Bake 40–45 minutes, until the cake pulls away slightly from the sides and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- Top with caramel buttercream (recipe follows).
Notes
Use orange gelatin to make a Fuzzy Navel Cake. Frozen peaches can be used straight from the freezer without defrosting.
Caramel Buttercream Frosting
A two-step caramel buttercream that adds deep, buttery caramel flavor to any cake.
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pats
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4–5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Combine butter, brown sugar, cream, and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
- Once boiling, stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature.
- Beat in powdered sugar with a hand mixer until spreadable. Add cream if needed to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken.
- Spread on a completely cooled cake and allow the frosting to set slightly before slicing.
Notes
This makes a generous amount of frosting, perfect for a 9″ x 13″ cake.
I’d love to hear your family’s favorite cake—please share your ideas. If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it on social media. Thank you!
Love, GB (Betty Streff)